The Minister for the Interior and Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak, has defended the government’s ongoing deportation of foreign nationals involved in illegal mining, describing it as a lawful and necessary intervention to make sure these activities are stopped.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Ultra modern office facility and a vehicle for the Ghana Immigration Service at Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Muntaka explained that deportation is a more immediate and practical response, especially in light of the logistical challenges in detaining and prosecuting foreign offenders within Ghana’s justice system.
The MP for Asawase constituency, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak also stressed that the country currently lacks the requisite infrastructure, including adequate police cells and prison facilities to hold foreign nationals awaiting trial, a process that can often be slow and complex.
“The move is not arbitrary. Comprehensive measures are in place to properly process those being deported,” he said.
“Fingerprints and other biometric data of deportees are being captured, and trained immigration officers are assigned to escort them to their countries of origin, where they will be handed over to relevant authorities for any further legal action” he continued.
So far, 107 foreign nationals have been deported under the initiative, with an additional 13 currently undergoing repatriation procedures.
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